AUSTINTOWN, Ohio - AUSTINTOWN The man who died as a result of last month's explosion at an Austintown apartment complex has been identified.

Austintown Township Fire Chief David Schertzer confirmed the man died at a hospital in Cleveland. Chief Schertzer says the victim appears to be 63-year-old Steven Smith.

Smith was injured during the Nov. 22 blast at the Phoenix House apartments near North Meridian Road and Interstate 680. He was the only person reported to have sustained severe injuries in the incident.

While the official cause remains under investigation, fire officials previously stated the blast patterns are consistent with a natural gas explosion.

The explosion forced the evacuation of 141 residents. Township officials noted last week that the building could remain

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